Humidifier



March 11, 1952 PERLMAN 2,588,567

HUMIDIFIER Filed March 21, 1950 2 SHEE'1 SSHEET 1 HEW 3/ 7 E INVENTOR. m M. 70/V PE/PLMA/Y I '72 BY u W7 ATTORNEY M. PERLMAN March 11, 1952 HUMIDIFIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 21, 1950 INVENTOR. fi/z ro/v PERLMAN 2 Tatented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HUMIDIFIER Milton l erlman, Detroit, Mich. Application March 21, 1950, Serial No. 150,880

3 Claims.

This invention relates to humidifiers and in particular to automatically refillable humidifiers for use in either gravityor forced hotair heating systems and the like.

In the prior art, many and various types of humidifiers have been employed in hot air heat.- ing systems, sometimes located in the plenum chamber of the hot air furnace: and sometimes mounted in the main duct leading from the furnace. In either event, it has-been usual to em? ploy a pan into which water from a constant water source is maintained at an established level responsive to valve' means. The valve means is usually complicated and expensive to manufacture, install and maintain, and. generally is composed of a float operated water valve requiringrather minute adjustment and which becomes inoperative readily due to corrosion or the presence of foreign matter in the float chamber and around the valve seat.

'With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is to provide an. inexpensive to manufacture, simple, easily installed and trouble-free humidifier for gravity or forced hot air heating systems employing a self-cleaning gravity operated valve operable directly respon-- sive to the pressure head of Water supplied to the humidifier and the weight of water contained in the humidifier.

Other objects of the invention will become ap-- parent by reference to: the following: detailedv description taken in connection with the accc1n--- panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view" of a humidifier embodying the .invention mounted on and through the wall of a hotair furnace or an air ductleading from a hot air furnace, the. reservoir of the humidifier being-filled with'water.

and. the intake valve closed.

Fig. 2 isa horizontal view taken substantially Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the valve construction and splash shield preferably employed.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line'.ll of Fig. 1 showing one type of 'ad- I justable valve nozzle support that may be that may be employed to'balance the reservoir to compensate for variations in water pressure in the watersupply to the humidifier,

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts".

throughout the several views, the: particular: humidifier disclosed for the purpose of. illustrating the inventioncomprises, in general, a m'ount ing plate 10 having an aperture I160 therein secured by such meansas self tapping screws 1 I to a hotair furnace or duct wallv I2 over. an-ap'erture I20- therei-n' with the aperture I: in the:

mounting plate I0 disposed in registry with the: aperture I 20 in the hotvair furnace or'du'ct Walli in the said cradles I5 which-constitutes a' ful crum point at-the 'inner ends thereof, the said reservoir being balanced about the. saidtrunnions-x I T to pivot downwardly atits front narrow end I6I- when substantially or relatively emptyand: upwardly atits' front narrow end. IGI: when-substantially or relativelyfull, the forwardv narrow I small capacity end- I6! of the reservoir I6.- extending out through the aperture Inc in the mounting. plate I0 and the-aperture I20: in the furnace or duct wall I2, a cylindrical well I8 formed in the bottom of theforwardnarrowend I6 I of thereservoi-r. I6, aresilient preferably neoprene valve-seatornozzle'seal or stopper I9 disposed in the said well l8, 2. water supply nozzle or valve seat 20 fixed by means of. a bracket ZI in adjustable depending relationship onto the frontof thezmounting plate I0 and disposed over the said seal or stopper I9, a continuous water supply 22 connectedzto the said nozzle 20, a splash shield 23 disposed over the said nozzle 20; the

said valveseali'or stopper I9 and nozzle or valve seat 20 serving as or constituting valve means to admit water from the water supply 22 to the reservoir pan |6 when the forward, shallow, or small capacity end of the reservoir I6 is less than full to substantially empty and tilted downwardly about its trunnions I! or pivot points by the pressure of water from the water supply nozzle 20, and to shut off water from the water supply 22 when the reservoir H5 is sufficiently full to tilt its rear, deep, or large capacity end downwardly so that the forward end tilts upwardly about its trunnions I! to close the valve means, an adjustable stop 24 extending between the brackets |3 limiting the downward tilting of the forward end of the reservoir IS, the said reservoir l6 having an overflow aperture 25 in the front and near the top thereof, and a cover 26 having a drain aperture 21 therein disposed over the forward end of the reservoir IS, the aperture I in the mounting plate In and the water supply nozzle 20, the said cover 26 being secured to the mounting plate In by suitable self-tapping screws 28.

The mounting plate I0 is preferably formed of sheet metal and is crimped around its periphery at 30 for strength and to accommodate the flange 3| of the inwardly disposed brackets I3. The said inwardly disposed brackets |3 may be of any desired shape or construction to pivotally support the reservoir l6 thereon. However, by employing the cradles l formed in the top of the brackets I3 and the trunnions H, the reservoir l6 rocks and turns on its trunnions H in the cradles l5 thereby eliminating a great majority of friction that might retard the tilting of the reservoir it.

The reservoir I6 is preferably rectangular in shape at its rear end I60 and tapers to a narrow shallow front end |6| as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The trunnions H by means of which the reservoir I6 is pivotally or rockably supported in the cradles |5 of the brackets l3 are so located in the sides of the reservoir l6 as to cause the reservoir IE to pivot or rock downwardly in front when empty or substantially empty and upwardly in front when full or substantially full. Each trunnion may comprise a bolt 32 extending outwardly from a side of the reservoir l6 onto which is telescoped a trunnion spool 33, a washer 34 and a lock washer 35. A nut 36 on the bolt 32 tightens the trunnion assembly I] to the reservoir l6. As viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, the trunnion spool 33 rides in the cradle |5 formed in the top of the inwardly disposed brackets l3. Obviously, other types of construction and means for pivoting the reservoir IS with respect to the brackets l3 may be employed.

The adjustable stop 24 likewise may be of any suitable construction. In the showing in the drawings, the adjustable stop 24 is formed of a rod 24 reduced in diameter and threaded at each end at 31 forming a shoulder 38 against which a washer 39 is positioned which abuts against the inside of a bracket l3 when the reduced threaded ends 31 of the said adjustable stop 24 are positioned in the horizontal slots 40 provided in each bracket |3. A washer 4| is positioned on the reduced threaded ends 31 of the adjustable stop 24, and, when the nuts 42 are turned up tightly, the adjustable stop 24 is anchored in its adjusted position in the slots 40 of the brackets l3, see Figs. 2 and 8. By adjusting the stop 24 forwardly or rearwardly in the slots 40, more or less forward tilt of the reservoir I6 is permitted when the said reservoir I6 is empty or substantially empty and is being filled, see Fig. 3.

By referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 1, it will be observed that the nozzle bracket 2| mav comprise an angle 45 welded or otherwise secured to the mounting plate In and an anchor plate 46 secured to the angle 45 by means of bolts 41. The angle 45 and anchor plate 46 are complementarily formed to engage and anchor the water supply nozzle 20 in a vertically adjusted position with respect to the neoprene nozzle seal Hi, the preferred adjusted position of the nozzle 20 being such as will maintain the reservoir |6 substantially level when filled and the nozzle 20 sealed closed by the nozzle seal |9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

The water supply nozzle 20 is preferably cylindrical in shape, is tapered at its lower end to a relatively small diameter or point 48, and has a water supply aperture 49 therethrough. The upper end of the nozzle 20 is preferably provided with a sleeve nut 50 which serves as a tube anchorage which connects the end of the continuous water supply line 22 to the said nozzle. 20. The said nozzle 20 may be provided with a pair of spaced upper and lower annular bosses 5| and 52. The upper boss 5| prevents the nozzle 20 from sliding downwardly out of the bracket 2| before it is tightened, and the lower boss 52 serves as a hanger for the splash shield 23 preferably formed of molded rubber. The said splash shield 23 is of sufficient length and is the proper shape to prevent water being supplied to the reservoir I6 from the water supply nozzle 20 from splashing off the nozzle seal I9 and out of the reservoir H3.

The nozzle seal I9 which is preferably formed of neoprene, rubber or the like is sufficiently resilient to seal the water supply aperture 49 at the pointed end 48 of the water supply nozzle 20 whereby to prevent water from being supplied to the reservoir therefrom responsive to the tilting of the front narrow end |6| of the reservoir l6 upwardly when the reservoir I6 is substantially filled as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6. When the reservoir I6 becomes nearly empty from evaporation of water therein as indicated in Fig. 3, the front narrow end |6| thereof tilts downwardly and water is supplied thereto through the water supply line 22 and the water supply nozzle 20. As the reservoir I6 is being filled, water from the water supply nozzle 20 jets onto the nozzle seal l9 and cleans any accumulation of foreignmatter from the top of the said nozzle seal l9 thereby assuring perfect seating of the end 48 of the water supply nozzle 20 onto the nozzle seal I9 when the front narrow end |6| of the reservoir Hi again tilts upwardly as the said reservoir l6 becomes substantially filled.

Not shown, but generally employed in humidifier installations, is a water supply shut-off valve of a type that permits regulation of the water supply volume and pressure in the water supply line 22, by means of which any excess force of .the jet from the water supply nozzle 20 may be eliminated. If a pressure regulating valve is not employed in the water supply line 22, then, for the purpose of balancing the reservoir l6 against the pressure of water supplied thereto through the nozzle 20, a plurality of weights 60 may be employed, the said weights 60 being hooked over the side of the reservoir l6 by means of a hook 6| welded or otherwise secured thereto. By sliding the weights 60 along the side of the reservoir I6, the balance thereof about its trunnions I! may be adjusted to compensate far variations in the reaction of water supplied to the reservoir l6 from the nozzle 20 arising due to local variations of the water pressure in the water supply line 22.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention to accommodate it to various manufacturing and installation conditions, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A humidifying device for imparting moisture to air by evaporation comprising a cradle constituting a fulcrum point, a reservoir pan pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cradle so as to constitute a lever in itself and so as to position said pan with a relatively large water containing capacity on one side of its pivot point on said cradle and a relatively small water containing capacity on the other side of its pivot point on said cradle so that said pan is leverwise biased when containing water, a water valve positionecl adjacent the small water capacity end of said pan adapted to introduce water under pressure into said pan; said valve comprising a seal on the small water capacity end of said pan and a nozzle or seat separately fixed adjacent the small water capacity end of said pan; said valve being operated to open and close by pivoting said pan on said cradle; said pan being so positioned on said cradle so that when a desired predetermined level of water exists in said pan, the weight of the water in the large Water capacity end of said pan so overbalances the weight of the water in the small water capacity end of said pan and the water pressure of said nozzle to pivot said pan on said cradle to close said valve, and so that when less than a desired level of water exists in said pan, the weight of the water in the large water capacity end of the pan does not so overbalance the Weight of the Water in the small water capacity end of said pan and the water pressure of said nozzle so that water is introduced into said pan.

2. A humidifying device for imparting moisture to air by evaporation comprising a cradle constituting a fulcrum point, a reservoir pan pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cradle so as to constitute a lever in itself and so as to position said pan with a relatively large Water containing capacity on one side of its fulcrum point on said cradle and a relatively small Water containing capacity on the other side of its fulcrum point on said cradle so that said pan is itself leverwise biased when containing water, an apertured water valve seat mounted adjacent said pan adapted to introduce water under pressure into said pan, a valve stopper on said pan adapted to seal said apertured seat by pivoting said pan on said cradle to prevent water being introduced into said pan; said pan being so positioned on said cradle that when a desired predetermined level of water exists in said pan, the Weight of the water in the large capacity end of said pan overbalances the weight of the water in the small capacity end of said pan and the water pressure of said seat to pivot said pan on said cradle to sealably press said valve stopper against said valve seat to prevent water being introduced into said pan while the condition exists.

3. A humidifying device for imparting moisture to hot air heating systems air by evaporation mountable in an element thereof i the path of hot air therethrough comprising a cradle constituting a pivot point, a reservoir pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cradle so as to tilt and so as to position said reservoir with a relatively deep end on one side of its pivot point on said cradle and a relatively shallow end on the other side of its pivot point on said cradle so that said reservoir itself forceable tilts when containing Water, a water nozzle positioned adjacent the shallow end of said reservoir adapted to introduce water under pressure into said reservoir, and a seal on the shallow end of said reservoir adapted to seal said nozzle when pressed thereagainst by pivoting said reservoir on said cradle to prevent water being introduced into said reservoir; said reservoir being so positioned on said cradle that when a desired predetermined level of water exists in said reservoir, the weight of the water in the deep end of said reservoir overbalances the weight of the water in the shallow end of said reservoir and the water pressure of said nozzle to pivot said reservoir on said cradle to sealably press said seal against said nozzle to prevent introduction of water thereinto while the condition exists.

MILTON PERLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,393,058 Whitacre Oct. 11, 1921 1,778,573 'I'hiele Oct. 14, 1930 2,292,407 Skerrit Aug. 11, 1942 

